What does the Bible do for you? It acquaints us with the truth of God. However, a step forward from just knowing that truth, is that the Bible "blesses" those who obey its precepts.
Take a look at Psalm 119:2 (ESV)...
"Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek Him with their whole heart..."
Keeping, obeying and that with a "whole heart" of sincerity. It reminds me of what was said in the new testament about giving, as one is able and that with a cheerful heart. So, a person will be blessed when he or she lives according to God's Word after having become acquainted with it. I like this verse, that is so free-ing; 2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV),
"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Of course that is talking about giving of our finances, but giving our whole heart to obedience, is the catalyst that ignites the rest.
There are things that will keep a person back from such wholeheartedness: our faults, unforgiveness, bitterness, desires and pleasures (that are not necessarily bad but have taken priority). Confess them to the Lord and repent of them, to re-calibrate (1 John 1:9) towards pro-active progressive sanctification. Fellowship with the Lord in prayer, reading and obeying God's Word and fellowship with other believers, will aid us in seeking the Lord with our whole heart. These will be a blessing to you.
May each and every one be blessed by God with all His spiritual blessings we can have in Christ.
~ERC June 2019~
Dug up a treasure a couple of weeks back; a little wee notebook of notes. In it was noted an ABC of what the Bible does for the one who actually reads it. I don't recall where or when I got these but I must have liked them way back when, and upon rereading, still like them. Shall share them with you with minimal (I think) mumbles.
This first one is that the Bible "acquaints" us with the theme of the gospel. The theme being emphasized by the verse from 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. This is about Jesus having: died, been buried and then having arisen again (resurrected).
Jesus left the richness of His heavenly home and became "poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9) so that we could be rich in faith and everlasting life; sins forgiven.
His actions were "self-giving". He did so on two accounts. He wrestled with that in agony in the Garden (Luke 22:39-44). He did this by choice of His will. He gave Himself to God on our (mankind's) behalf. Jesus also gave Himself to mankind. John 18:4-9.
The love of God and Jesus, gives. 1 John 3:1; 4:9-11. God demonstrated, we learn in the Bible, His love for us through the giving of Jesus to die on the cross to pay the punishment for our sins in our stead (Romans 5:8). He died for us.
He was also buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. He was there for three days. This signifies "complete surrender" to God and His will on your and my behalf. We read in John 12:24 (ESV),
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."
Jesus was certainly such a "grain of wheat". He died on our behalf, His actions bringing much life, and that, for eternity, to many millions of human beings since that time until now. That was the resurrection...Jesus rose again from the dead. He is alive for evermore. His giving, gives life. Look at this...
"So those who received His word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls." (Acts 2:41 ESV).
Peter was alive in Christ, and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Spread the word so myriads more can become more than acquainted with the truth and life found in Jesus Christ and His Word.
~ERC June 2019~
Reach back about 25 years into infamous history to the massacre of at least 800,000 Tutis, in just over 100 days, perpetuated by the Hutu extremists, all of them of the African country of Rwanda. The periodical, Christianity Today (CT), in their April 2019 issue, reports about a valiant survivor, Denise Uwimana, and her book From Red Earth: A Rwandan Story of Healing and Forgiveness. As the book title suggests, forgiveness is a big factor in the healing process from such vicious trauma and travesty.
In the CT interview by Bethany Hoang, with Uwimana, the reader learns that Uwimana did not find it easy to forgive. She lost a husband and countless others in the genocide. Ask her to forgive the murderers!!?
Uwimana said she turned to God, a lot. At first, a lot of that turning was angry words projected at God for allowing that to happen. Eventually, she put more trust in God, and God saw her through. She relates,
"God kept His promises, and I survived, not because I was better or because I prayed a lot but by His grace."
Those of us who have never had to encounter such evil actions, will never ever be able to fathom the all encompassing effort Uwimana and others like her have had to bulldoze through. We will never know the immeasurable depths they have had to dig deep and deeper down to utilize and experience that grace of God to overcome the natural human resistance to forgive horrors beyond our comprehension.
It sounds so easy, "just forgive"--you will set yourself free. It doesn't let the malefactor off the hook but you will find freedom and healing in your own soul. Wise advice that often sounds so cliche but it can and does happen.
Denise Uwimana, by the grace of God, has been such an overcomer. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Another miracle of God's grace. Guess what? She hasn't stopped at her own personal healing. She has reached out and continues to reach out still to others such as herself. Cogitate on the numbers there would be of such others. She's helped an innumerable number of them.
Still Uwimana, didn't stop even there. She has reached, and continues to reach, across the great gulf of resentment and bitterness against those who brutally attempted to annihilate them. She reaches with forgiveness aimed at reconciliation, and subsequently, healing.
No doubt you've seen the newscasts too, of that time. Video clips of the Tutis refugees fleeing for their lives. I can remember. It makes one weep. Do you think you could reach out with forgiveness and add on reconciliation? Could you trust those people ever again?
Four or five years ago, I met a Rwandan man. He may only have been a young lad at that time of the massacre. When he told me which country he was from, all I could see flood across my mind were those straggling, scared, dejected, devastated refugees, running away--lines of mostly women and children.
What that Rwandan university student wanted to show me, however, was rather insistent on showing me, was the picture, which must be a famous spot in his country, of a large swathe and corridor of lush greenery, perhaps it was in the capital city. I don't recall. To me, that embodies the forgiveness, reconciliation and healing.
This reminds me of another stalwart forgiver, Corrie Ten Boom of Holland. Hers was a similar scenario of the colossal holocaust genocide of Jews and of those who loved and helped them. Corrie, her sister Betsy and her Dad (you've likely heard this before but please bear with me) helped hide Jews in the secret hiding place in their home. They also assisted others to escape elsewhere. In the end they were found out and arrested and sent to concentration camps Hitler had set up for exterminating Jews.
Corrie's Dad died within a couple of weeks of incarceration. Betsy took longer, and due, in large measure, to cruelty instigated by one of the cruelest of the cruel, guards. Corrie was the sole survivor of the three. She survived all because of some glitch in camp administration (or rather, God's orchestration which was not a mix-up), was set free.
Corrie Ten Boom set about bringing forgiveness and reconciliation throughout Europe in the aftermath of World War II. People were so trampled upon and broken in spirit and bitter. Corrie went about preaching forgiveness, by the grace of God.
One night after one such meeting of asking folks to forgive, and the attendees had mostly all gone home, there was one man left standing. Oh no! He was advancing towards her! She recognized him! You guessed it; the cruelest of the cruel guards.
What was he asking?! Forgive him!!? How preposterous!
In one of her writings, Corrie announces, she couldn't. She just could not stretch out her hand to that perpetrator's outstretched hand. The panoramic movie of all those evil things precipitated upon herself, others and especially to her sister Betsy chased each other through her mind. BUT...but then, the Holy Spirit of God compelled her...It's a choice, Corrie. A choice to forgive, or not. She told God in those intervening seconds, something like, "I cannot do it on my own. You need to help. I will shake his hand but You will have to do the rest". If I remember correctly, Corrie said that in that moment in which she reached out to shake the man's hand, she felt a surge of warmth infuse her arm and heart propelling her to sincerely and earnestly forgive the man, who had, incidentally, become her brother-in-Christ.
I love to hear such stories of God's miraculous grace and healing. How are they possible, though? Ah-h-h...They are made possible by the One Perfect Forgiver of all time and eternity.
Most of us have read of the agonies Jesus suffered throughout His farcical trial: whipping, mocking, crown of thorns thrust upon His head and then the actual hanging on the cruel cross; the betrayal, and denial by His own disciples; rejection by His own nation of people, the Jews; the heartache, mental anguish and then the physical pain. Pause. Consider it.
Jesus words as He hung on the cross of Calvary are astounding:
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34 ESV).
Jesus, our perfect example of forgiveness. He forgave even in the middle of all that misery. Not only did He forgive those immediate ones who failed Him and who heaped suffering upon Him...He forgives you and me so many thousands of years later. He gave us the full benefit of the doubt, and forgives us, as He says, we "don't know what we do". His human creatures who need/needed full comprehensive forgiveness; many of us being repeat offenders.
I think of Jesus' gracious prayer model teaching, as seen in Luke 11:1-4 (ESV), especially verse 4...
"...and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us..."
Do we? Do we forgive? Do we forgive everyone?
It's a blessing that God's forgiveness does not depend upon human merit. Forgiveness comes from the grace of God. Daily, we must ask Him to forgive us, not towards repeat salvation, but towards mending of our relationship, towards daily reconciliation and healing in our relationship with Him. From that comes sweet communion with our Lord Jesus Christ. We fail. He never fails (Zephaniah 3:5).
In 1 John 1:9 (ESV) we discover the promise of God's Word is when we confess our sins,
"He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins".
Jesus goes an extra mile...that verse continues,
"...and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
We forgive others. He forgives us. He cleans us from all the unrighteousness--every last, teeny-weeny bit of stain thereof, gone.
In this we can have reconciliation and healing just as Denise Uwimana and Corrie Ten Boom did. They allowed God's grace to flood their hearts and minds. We can to.
Pursue forgiveness and reconciliation with our Heavenly Father, and with our fellow human beings.
Let's each of us, each brother and sister-in-Christ, contemplate God's grace, forgiveness, reconciliation and healing. Where would you be without it? Remember, as we remember Jesus in His death and resurrection each Lord's Day morning. Remember as we pass the bread and wine one to another, partaking of each. It is only because of our Perfect Forgiver that we can.
Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) exhorts,
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you."
It may take monumental effort to come to that point of forgiveness; may God's grace and love compel you and galvanize you towards being His imitator and bring the healing that is so very needed.
May "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14 NKJV).
~ERC May 2019~
That well-known song Amazing Grace written by John Newton so long ago comes to mind. Here it is sung by one Michael W. Smith.
Whose child are you?
Often people 'place' you by, to whom you belong. That could be good news, or not. All the adages such as, "like father, like son", or "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", say a lot without having to say much.
The 'to whom you belong' judgment could be a hard pill to swallow. If someone has been just and upright and well-known, folks expect the offspring to be of similar caliber; often they are. Its vastly disappointing when they are not.
On the other hand, should the parent have been an addict or crook of some kind, the populace judges the progeny, "Oh they're likely "a chip off the old block", beware of them. Never trust the individual as far as you can throw them," further remarking, "Of course, look whose child he/she is! What do you expect!?"
It will be a tremendous ultimatum for the thus disadvantaged son or daughter of such a nefarious character, to overcome. They may be no where near what the parent embodies, they may have indeed overcome, yet the stigma sticks to them worse than a burr to a dress hem. Why? All because they just so happen to be the child of Mr. or Mrs. Do-No-Good. A travesty.
It really does put pressure on the offspring though. If the parent has been extra-ordinarily exemplary in character and conduct, that standard may be a mammoth challenge to live up to. Better to realize our own overwhelming worth in the eyes of God and live life for Him.
You can probably guess where I'm going with this...those of us who are a child of God have a colossal task to live up to His perfect excellence. Our Almighty Father is perfect in holiness. His One and Only Son Jesus imbued those exact attributes to absolute perfection.
In John 1:12 (ESV) He calls those who believe in Jesus, His children,
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God..."
We are less than perfect children. However, the children of God have been given the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit's indwelling gives each child of God the dynamic power to choose to behave as those who truly belong to God and live according to God's Word, and who strive to be "holy as God is holy" (1 Peter 1:15, 16).
"God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior..." (Titus 3:4-5 NIV).
In living according to God's Word aided by the Holy Spirit, one is less likely to bring ill-repute to God, Jesus, or any of the other family members of God. We, children of God, must continually aspire to progress in sanctification.
John 14:26 (NIV) enlightens us to some more of Jesus' words,
"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."
Yes, God has imputed His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:21-22) to each of His children; that's His sovereignty. He did so because of our faith in Him. Nevertheless, the other side of the coin is mankind's responsibility. As the whole book of James delineates, this involves pro-active, progressive sanctification that is sorely needed and that brands each child of God as His. Or not. As one engages in this aim for perfection: in thoughts, words, and deeds, our affiliation will be discernible.
"Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 8:48 NIV)
We live this way not out of obligation but out of love, thanksgiving and gratitude to our Father in Heaven and growing our relationship with Him through being hearers and doers of God's Word (James 1:22).
"For Christ's love compels us..." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).
"Finally, I pray that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14 NKJV).
Let no one wonder Whose child you are.
~ERC May 2019~
Additional Bible Verses to Peruse
Having to do with the Holy Spirit's indwelling:
Acts 2:1-4; Acts 4:31; John 3:5-6; John 14:26*; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Jude 1:20; Romans 8:26*; 1 John 2:20
Having to do with being made righteous by God:
Romans 1:17; 4:13; 10:6; 3:22; 5:17; 4:5; 5:19; 4:11, 22, 23; 5:13; 9:30; James 2:23
"There were 12 disciples, Jesus called to help Him: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, his brother John..."
and so on goes the Sunday School song.
These 12 were eventually sent out, 2 x 2, by Jesus, to do their mission work. There is great focus on them and their exploits, as there should be. However, "The 72 Others" were given identical mission marching orders (compare Luke 9 and 10). They too had great success.
After that, we do not hear much about them. Perhaps they were among the ones who "were offended by him and no longer walked with Him" (John 6:66). Scripture doesn't specify. Sad if they were.
Yet we do know this is the case, even today. Some show wonderful potential of allowing their faith to govern them for the long haul--'til Jesus comes or He take them Home ahead of the rest of us. However, should they become offended at someone or something and are unwilling to forgive, they could well turn away and no longer walk with God. Sad, but true. May we look to the Lord Jesus, focus on Him, and follow Him all our days.
That, however, is not the tangent I wish to follow in this blog entry. Even in the past two or three centuries there have been those brothers (& sisters)-in-Christ who have gone about teaching and preaching around the world and have become "giants of faith", honoring and glorifying God the Father by bringing Jesus Christ to individuals and to the nations in one form or another; the late Billy Graham was an exemplary example.
I do NOT mean to demean Graham's example even one tiny bit of an iota by what I say next. This is similar to the 12 disciples and "The 72 Others". Even among the 12, some were more well-known but they each had been named. Of "The 72 Others", we do not have even one name, as far as I can ascertain.
The point is, there are 1000's of missionaries who have answered "the call" to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. Some we do get to know by name, if not personally: Jim Elliot; Amy Carmichael; Hudson Taylor; Adoniram Judson; Lottie Moon; Benny Prasad. Most others we do not know nor have we heard of; for instance, have you ever heard of Hope Hurlbut or John Burke? I have in my experience. They've both gone to be with Christ now after a lifetime of patient harvesting for the Lord. The results of their respective labors linger on...
You all can likely name a few too. Yet whether or not we know who they are, God does, and they continue to faithfully labor on for the Lord because they know Him. They want to love, honor, cherish and serve Him with their numbered days.
Do you?
Maybe you are not a "go-er" but a "sender". Maybe you labor at a secular job, earn $$$ so you can help the one who "labors in the field" either at home or abroad. Perhaps that is your call from and for God. Whichever, may all be faithful to your calling whether or not you become well-known, or "lost in the shuffle"; our Heavenly Father knows where He can find you.
Jesus asked His 72 disciples to pray for harvesters. Here's how Luke 10:2-3 (ESV) tells it...
"And He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest...Go your way..."
Pray for harvesters but also go...
I've had the privilege of watching CD's of Little House On the Prairie, season after season, with my children as they were growing up. One of them, chuckling, noted that the favorite song that the Walnut Grove folks sang in church was "Bringing in the Sheaves".
In a community where most families had to be self-sufficient by growing their own crops, they really had to put their back to the plough with immense effort to bring in the sheaves. May God bless you, and all you do for Him. As "The 72 Others" were admonished by Jesus, rejoice. He's got your name written in His book of Life. He knows exactly who you are.
Happy Harvesting, Harvesters!
~ERC May 2019~
Guess which song I wish to share here?
Bringing In the Sheaves, written by Knowles Shaw who was inspired by Psalm 126:6 and this rendition sung by isbaptist Toronto.
Cooking and cleaning and nurturing your children; cooking and cleaning and nurturing and cooking...at infinitum and not necessarily in that order but the cycle does seem endless at times. What's that adage?
"Man works from sun to sun but a women's work is never done." ~author unknown~
That through no fault of her own. Not to disparage fathers and other men either. They too have a merry-go-round of daily responsibilities to sustain.
Our days often feel bogged down with daily duties with little to no time to catch a breath. We "gotta get it done" especially if company's coming.
I can empathize 100% with Martha. That would be the Lazarus, Mary & Martha, Martha, of Luke 10:38-42 fame. When ya got company, ya like to have things "just so" and serve your best; more so if your guest is Jesus. Oh, and you'd be ever so grateful if someone would lend you a hand; especially an able-bodied sister.
That sister Mary who was just sitting around not doing a lick of work. She was just sitting there listening to Jesus, of all things! "Get your rear in gear, Mary!" Mutter, mutter. I can picture Martha's agitation perfectly.
To rub some salt in the wound, Jesus calmly rebukes,
"Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42 ESV).
If I were Martha, I think I'd grit my teeth in a grimace, mumble and grumble through those clenched teeth as I about-faced to the kitchen.
Attitude is wrong, yes! Yet how many have ever had similar thoughts and feelings?
Did Jesus care? Of course, He did!
Notice Jesus doesn't say that what Martha is doing is no good. He says what Mary is doing is "better".
Priorities.
Mary's was to "be still" and to listen to Jesus the Messiah, the One Who cares. She took her "timeout" with what, or rather, with Who, was precious to her. He was her choice. Spending time with Jesus, soaking up His Presence.
It's hard for us in this era to visualize doing that with Someone Who is an "invisible quality of eternal power and divine nature" (Romans 1:20 ESV). In the treadmill of life, however, it is essential. Bathe yourself in His presence. Quiet your hearts; open His Word and read what He tells you; tell Him your heart; or just sit there and revel in His presence and know He is there with you. You will have precious moments.
We have this choice and privilege; anywhere, anytime. All these because God demonstrated His love for us through Jesus' death and resurrection (Romans 5:8). Jesus our Savior and mediator between His (& our) Father, God, and us (1 Timothy 2:5). When we belong to Him through Jesus we are His child (John 1:12). We have the right to "be still" in His presence (Psalm 46:10). Go to Him and find rest in the midst of the busyness and chaos of what life dishes out to you.
Remember this peaceful privilege as you pass and partake of the broken bread and cup of wine to one another on Lord's Day in remembrance of the One who made "being still" possible. It is that "better portion".
~ERC May 2019~
Be Still for the Presence of the Lord
Psalm 19 is one of my favorite Psalms. All the imagery and maybe because in younger days we used to sing parts of it and it caught my heartstrings with melodious accord.
Look at the imagery (NIV),
"God has pitched a tent for the sun" (v. 4).
That declares His glory.
Pitching a tent, depending on its size, is not that easy. Growing up we basically lived in a big tent that could seat 100 -150 people, all summer long. Putting that tent up required some effort, I tell you. It had to be set up and taken down every two weeks for two months of summer. (No, NOT a circus tent but a Gospel Tent my parents helped to run.)
For God to set up His tent, it seems like no effort -- it's all within His easy capability. After all, He is The Creator God. Think of the size that that tent had to be to encompass the sun! Mega-scale!
The psalmist focused on the sun of God's creation. It's apparent circuit across the heavens and the warmth it provides. Then he changes the topic, speaking about the "Law of the Lord" and its perfections. Not sure if he is attempting to connect the two or just that his meditations took a turn as he was writing.
Nevertheless, we can snap a wondrous picture of God's creation followed by God's perfect law, statutes, precepts and commands that refresh the soul, make wise the simple, give joy to the heart and light to the eyes and are righteous. He delights in them and marvels at them. They too are gargantuan and breathtaking and a "tent" in which we also can take refuge.
Then he's on to asking God to forgive his hidden faults and to keep him from willful sins. In the presence of Almighty God, the Holy One, the saints of old immediately perceived their sinfulness. Like Peter, too, of New Testament times, did upon his astonishing catch of that huge mess of fish after a fish-less all-nighter of fishing. He was instantly humbled, fell upon his knees, and cried,
"Go away from me, Lord, I am a sinful man" (Luke 5:9 NIV)!
God's Word, said David the Psalmist of Psalm 19, is
"perfect...sure...right...pure...true and righteous altogether...gives warning"
and shows the sincere heart their
"errors and hidden faults".
Do we desire God's words? Do we covet them more than fine gold...? Keeping God's word
"brings great reward",
so said David. Reward and prosperity NOT of impermanent earthly material wealth, rather of spiritual growth and holiness with eternal benefit.
This God desires and seeks for in us, with His best wishes. He can be your Rock and Redeemer, the steadfast One on Whom we can rely. He keeps His word.
Cherish and meditate upon God's Word as you pass the bread and wine one to another on Lord's Day. He sent Jesus, the Living Word, to bring you Your salvation and holiness. Remember what He has done for you and continues to do. He is the "Author and Finisher" (KJV), the,
"...Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2 ESV).
Look to Him for your eternal great reward. It's bigger than any tent.
~ERC May 2019~
The law of the Lord is perfect sung by Shiloh Worship Music
